We urge you to visit Abruzzo next spring or summer! This wild, beautiful heart of Italy is teeming with biodiversity; forests roamed by bears and wolves, sublime mountain ranges dotted with chamois, red and roe deer, and pristine skies threaded with raptors.
The European Nature Trust, in collaboration with Wildlife Adventures and Salviamo l’Orso, has devised a special weeklong itinerary for guests of 'Wild Abruzzo: The Spirit of Untamed Italy' to explore the wilderness of Abruzzo, and to experience the magic of wildlife watching.
This really is a specially created journey, uniquely priced with a meaningful contribution to Salviamo l’Orso!
Our journey through the Central Apennines rewilding area takes us across thousands of hectares of beautiful rugged mountains, deep valleys and extensive beech forest. This region of Italy is a biodiversity hotspot with abundant populations of iconic species such as brown bears, wolves, deer, wild boars and the endemic Apennine chamois. Little villages characterized by traditional lifestyles provide a special mix of culture and nature that makes this area unique in Europe.
You are greeted by rangers at the Wildlife Adventures offices in Pescasseroli. After rejuvenating, trek into the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, to learn about the oldest national park in Italy. Enjoy local produce over dinner and recuperate, ready for an early morning of wildlife watching the following day.
Wolves move early in the morning, in the mysterious early morning light, when the mountains are still and slumbering. After a coffee we will head out in search of these magnificent creatures, listening for their rippling howls through the valleys. The afternoon brings the opportunity to meet the local team of Salviamo L’Orso. We will learn about the ecology of Abruzzo, how healthy ecosystems can be restored, and how we can secure a future for the Marsican brown bear.
Morning brings the start of a long journey to pristine, old-growth forests in the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Parks, learning about this magnificent ecosystem. The hike will take us to the Terraegna Mountain Hut – a unique, remote and eminently comfortable off-grid experience for wildlife watchers. As evening rolls round in the mountains, there is always the chance to spot the Marsican brown bear.
A stunning wildlife watching session at sunrise. Breakfast with local and organic products gives us the energy for a long hike along the impressive ridge of the Montagna Grande, at above two thousand meters elevation. With the woody slopes behind us, we will walk on the ridgeline separating the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park from the Genzana Mountain Reserve. Dinner at the mountain cabin and overnight stay.
Morning light brings the chance to see wolves, bears and chamois. After breakfast we will descend from the mountains and reach the municipality of Bisegna. After lunch, we will rest in the gorgeous hotel before the evening
walk to the old castle of Rocca Calascio. Dinner and overnight stay.
We depart for a long hike to the saddle of Monte Aquila and Campo Pericoli at the foot of the Corno Grande (2,912 m), observing the panoramic the peaks in the Gran Sasso massif where we can easily spot Apennine Chamois. With the severe, imposing summit of the Corno Grande, the Gran Sasso massif guards Europe’s southernmost glacier. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon, relax ready for dinner with locally grown produce.
2/3 nights accommodation in the Albergo Villino Quintiliani or similar hotel with breakfast and dinner.
1/2 nights accommodation in the Terraegna Mountain Refuge with a special dinner and wine tasting.
2 nights accommodation in the Albergo Sexantio or similar hotel with breakfast and dinner.
1 official english-speaking guide for the duration.
Binoculars, headlamps, spotting scopes during all hikes.
Cost: €1,930 per person based on 8 participants; €2,110 per person based on 6 participants; €2,470 per person based on 4 participants.
Part of the cost of this specially curated journey to Abruzzo includes a donation to Salviamo l'Orso – a local NGO working to safely expand the population of Marsican brown bears. Their vital work is improving the quality and range of bear habitat, reducing human-wildlife conflict, and promoting sustainable nature-based entrepreneurship in the Abruzzo region.
To rediscover the wonders of wild Abruzzo, please see below for links to both the films, exclusively available to guests of Wild Abruzzo.
